Internal-combustion engine.



W. JLMCVICKER. INTERNAL C(JMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-9. m2.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- Patented July 13, 1915.

W. J. McVlCKER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATIION FILED AUG-9, I912.

1915. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented July 13 To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, W ALTER J. MOVI'CKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion or explosive engines using a liquid hydro-carbon as a fuel, and one principal object in view is the provision of an organizationsuch that fuels of widely different character, such as crude oil, alcohol, kerosene, or gasolene may be used efliciently in the same engine. To this end Ihave devised novel pumping and injecting mechanism for supplying charges of fuel into the combustion chamber of the engine.

A further feature is the provision of a. governing mechanlsm controlling such fuel pumping and in ecting mechanism where by the speed of the engine is controlled.

With these and other incidental objects and advantages in view my invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts, the elements whereof are more particularly pointed out and recited in the appended claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as applied to and forming part of a two-stroke-cycle engine.

Of the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section taken diametrically of the main and supplemental cylinders and also of the crank shaft of. the engine; Fig. 2 is a View at right angles to the line of view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3; isa fragmentary section on the same plane as Fig. 1, but with the valves in a different position; Fig. 4 a deta1l horizontal section on the irregular line 44 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 a view of parts lying beyond a plane taken on the line 5- 5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

The same letters. of reference are used to indicate the same parts in the several views.

The engine shown in the drawings and withreference to which my invention wlll be described is of the verticaltype, having I "formed in its base portions 1 a closed crank chamber A provided with an inwardly opening check valve 2, the opposite walls of said crank chamber being formed to provide bearings for the crank shaft 3, which n of rfeafieaaaamy 13,1915.

Application filed August 9,191'1 2- s'enm-ihJugaiiy a flatter carries the crank 4 within the cham er. i

cylinder 5, within which reciprocateswhe main or working piston 6, connected to "the crank 4 by the'connecting rod 7 the piston thus separating the chamber A, which constitute an air-compressing chamber, from the combustion chamber B above the piston. Above the upper limit of the stroke of the piston the combustion chamber is much reduced in size at the portion 13 of such chamber. The cylinder is provided with a system of communicating water passages C constituting a water jacket to prevent excessive heating. At the top of the cylinder the water jacket communicates through piping 8 with the steam dome 9, and also with a suitable water supply.

An exhaust port and to be uncovered by the piston and place the combustion chamber in communication with the atmosphere near the limit of the downward stroke of the piston is provided, this passage D arranged port being sealed by the piston during the upper part of its travel. An air inlet or mtake port E communicating with the compression chamber A is arranged to be 1H1" covered by the piston immediately after it has uncovered the exhaust port D, the port E being also sealed by the piston during the upper part of its travel.

At one side of the portion B of the combustion chamber is arranged a hot bulb or ignition chamber F surrounded by a housing, 10, at the top of which is placed a ventilator-11 having a damper by which the passage of air through the ventilator may be controlled. A torch 12 jacent the hot bulb to means for heating it.

The general construction and arrangement of parts thus far described is common to many engines already known, and my new devices for delivering fuel to the combustion chamber of the engine will now be described. Briefly stated, these parts comprise a fuel pump for delivering small measured charges of fuel, and an, auxiliary cylinder and piston for atomizingorvaporizing the same and forcing it into the combustion chamber proper point of its stroke.

The fuel pump comprises a castingin which is formed the is arranged adprovide auxiliary connected with the fuel tank 13 through the of the engine at i the Superimposed upon the base l'is the'n ain passage or chamber G supply pipe 14, and connected with the vaporiz ing devices "to be'hereafter described through the discharge pipe 15. An inwardly opening suction check valve 16 per- V the pipe a larger or smaller charge of recess (at the apex of which is the inner fuel, according to the length of its stroke.

Bolted to the side of the main cylinder 5 is an auxiliary cylinder 19, the valve of which is provided at the outer side (away from the main cylinder) with a series of admission ports H communicating with a small fuel chamber Ijformed in a projection of the cylinder, into which fuel chamber the charges of fuel are delivered through the pipe 15 by the operation of the fuel ump. This fuel chamber also has unrestricted communication with the steam dome 9 through the pipe 20. Opposite the ports H is a discharge port' J communicating through the passage J :with an admis' sion port K in the main cylinder opposite the hot bulb or ignition chamber F. A check valve 21 which opens inwardly governs this port K. 1 [he auxiliary piston 22 -is 'operatively connected 'to the crank shaft 3 through the eccentric 2 3,eccentric ring 23*,and eccentric rod 2 1, andthe adjustment of the eccentric is'such that. the auxiliary pistonwill rise and fall'simultaneously with the main piston 6. This auxiliary piston 22 is provided with 'a discharge passage'L leading from the upper side of the piston to a port adapted to register with the discharge port J in the cylinder wall when the piston is at or near its uppermost position. The clearance 'chamber left at the limit of stroke of the piston is made very small, and to that end,

in the present instance, and preferably, the top of the piston is formed with a conical end of the passage L), and the cylinder head with a corresponding conical projection.

The plunger 18 of the fuel pump is operated, and given a greater or less length of stroke, in the following manner: A lever 25, which at one end is pivoted to the base portion 1 of the engine and at its other end bears against ashifting or movable eccentric 26, rests intermediate its length upon the top of the plunger and operates to depress it as the eccentric forces the lever downward. A coiled compression spring 27 surrounding the plunger and confined between the pump body and a disk secured to the top of the plunger by its reaction operates to lift the rod as permitted to do so by the eccentric.

This eccentric is securedto or formedintegrally with an arm 28 extending therefrom outside the plane of the eccentric, the outer end of the arm being pivotally mounted to V a lug formed upon an arm of one of the fly wheels of the machine. Opposite the arm 28 is arranged a governor ball 29, also lying outside the plane of the eccentric. The bearing throughthe eccentric is somewhat elongated concentrically of the pivotal bearing of the'arm 28, and an adjustable spring 30 yieldingly tends to hold the eccentric in its position of greatest eccentricity. The eccentric is so timed as to cause a charge of fuel to be pumped into the fuel chamber I of the auxiliary cylinder shortly before the admission ports H of the auxiliary cylinder are uncovered by the auxiliary piston on its downward stroke, and the weight, arrangement and adjustment of the governor ball and associated parts is such that when the speed of the engine rises above a predetermined point the centrifugal force of the governorball will cause it to change its position so as to decrease the eccentricity of the eccentric 26, whereby a shorter stroke is given to the lever 25 and the pump plunger 18, and'less fuel is discharged into the fuel chamber I of the auxiliary cylinder. The speed of the engine, which under a given load depends on the amount of fuel consumed, 1s thereby decreased. Inasmuch as the fuel chamber I is at all times under very little pressure, the action of the pump is not afiected by variations of pressure in the combustion chamber, andthe pump responds regularly and uniformly to the action of the centrifugal governor.

The operation of the engine is as follows: Supposing the hot bulb or ignition chamber F tobe heated to the proper temperature, and assuming the main piston 6 to be on its downward stroke, the air in the crank chamber will be compressed until thepiston uncovers the air inlet or intake port E when the air under compression willenter and fill the combustion chamber B through such port, expelling the remaining products of cylinder. As the two pistons now move upward the air in the main cylinderis compressed and at the end of the compression stroke occupies the portion '13 of the combustion chamber. The hydro-carbon mixsaid chamber said ports port at thee'nd of an exhaust stroke and said 5 At this point the pressure of the hydrocarbon mixture is considerably higher than the pressure of the air inthe portion, B of the main cylinder owing to the very-small clearance in the auxiliary cylinder, and the discharged through the passage 'J. around the clieclrvalve 2l throuflgh th dmission port K, and loecome di' used wit from the bulb 9 will instantly cause rapid and complete combustion of all the resultant mixture. The expansion of the products of combustion will now move the main piston 6 downward until the exhaust port D permits their escape, and the air inlet port E being immediately afterward uncovered, at the end of the stroke of the main piston, another and similar series of operations takes place and is repeated so long as the enginecontinues to run.

The heat due to the intermittent combustion occurring in the combustion chamber 1s suflicient to maintain the hot bulb. 9 at a proper temperature to perform its function while the engine is continuously running, but it must be heated before the engine can be started, and the torch 12 is provided for this purpose. 7

While my invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a two-stroke cycle engine of particular form, it may with proper modification be applied to explosive engines of other types, and my claims are not intended to be restricted ,to'the particular structure herein shown, or further than is fairly required by the language in a which they are stated.

I claim: 1. In an internal combustion engine havcharges of liquid fuel with a gaseous fluidand injecting the vaporized mixture into during compression therein comprising an auxiliary cylinder having an admission port and axdischarge port communicating with the combustion chamber, a piston in said auxiliary cylinder governing and uncovering said admission discharge port at the end of a compression stroke, and means for supplying liquid fuel in the path of incoming gaseous fluid adja- 0 cent said admission port.

an internal combustion engine hav 2. In ing a combustion chamber and provided with a piston arranged to compress atmospheric air in such chamber, means for vaporizing 5 charges of liquid fuel with steam and incharge port at the end of hydrocarbon vapor will therefore be stroke, a steam supply passage communicathi the air'through the space .B, when the heat ing a combustion chamber and provided with near the end of jecting the yaporized mixture into said chamber dur ngcompress on therein compris ng an auxiliary cylinder having an admission port and a discharge port communieat ng with the combustio chamber, a piston'in said auxiliary cylinder governing said ports and uncovering said admission port at the'end of an exhaust stroke and said disa compression ing with said admission port, and means for a supplying liquid fuel in said passage adjacent said admission port.

pheric air in such chamber, means for vaporizing with steam charges of liquid fuel and in ectingthe same into said chamber during compression therein comprising an auxiliary cylinder having an admission port and a discharge port communicating with the c0mbustion chamber, a piston in said auxiliary cylinder governing said ports and uncovering said admission port at the end of an exliaust stroke and said discharge port at the end of a compression stroke, a fuel chamber adjacent said admission port, a steam reservoir in communication with said fuel chamber, and means for delivering charges of liquid fuel into said fuel chamber.

4. In an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber and provided with a piston arranged to compress atmospheric air in such chamber, the chamber having water jacket passages and a steam dome being arranged in communication with such passages, means for vaporizing with steam charges of liquid fuel and injecting the same into said chamber during compression therein comprising an auxiliary cylinder having an admission port communicating with said steam dome and a discharge port communieating with the combustion chamber, an auxiliary piston governing said ports and uncovering said admission port at the end of an exhaust stroke and said discharge port a compression stroke a fuel chamber adjacent said admission port and in the path of communication with said steam dome, and means for delivering charges of liquid fuel into said fuel chamber.

5. In an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber and provided with erning said admission and discharge ports and uncovering the admission port at the end of an exhaust stroke and uncovering the discharge valve at the end of'acompression stroke, a fuel chamber in the path of incofjnr risin an auxiliar c linder havin an admission port and a discharge port communicating with said combustion chamber, an auxiliary piston governing said ports and uncovering said admission port near the end of an exhaust stroke and the discharge port near the end of a compression stroke, and means for delivering charges of fuel adjacent said admission port and in the path of incoming gaseous fluid.

7. An internal combustion engine com-' prising a closed crank and cylinder casing, a working piston dividing the interior thereof into a compression chamber and a combustion chamber, a valve arranged to admit atmospheric air into said compression chamber during exhaustion of pressure therein, a passage connecting said compression chamber with a port in the wall of the cylinder uncovered by the piston at the end of its out stroke, an exhaust port in the cylinder wall also uncovered by the piston at the end of its out stroke, an auxiliary cylinder having a fuel chamber and provided with an auxiliary piston for vaporizing the fuel with a gaseous fluid and injecting the vaporized mixture into said combustion chamber during compression therein, said auxiliary piston being arranged to move simultaneously with the working piston, a pump. arranged to deliver a charge of fuel into said fuel chamber before an exhaust stroke of said auxiliary piston, said auxiliary cylinder being provided with an admission port adjacent said fuel chamber uncovered by the piston at the end of an exhaust stroke and with a discharge port uncovered at the end of a compression stroke which discharge port communicates wlth a passage of relatively small capacity in the cylinder walls terminating at a port in the combustion chamber of the engine, and a valve governing said last mentioned port.,

compression chamber and a combustion. chamber, said compresslon chamber havinga self-opening air inlet valve and said' cominto said combustion chamber at the period 8. An internal combustion engine combustion. chamber having an exhaust port and an air intake p'ort' communicating with said compression chamber, water-jacket passages in said cylinder casing, a steam dome communicating with said passages, an auxiliary cylinder having admission and discharge ports, a passage of relatively small capacity connecting said discharge port and the combustion chamber of the engine, an auxiliary piston operatively connected with said crank shaft to reciprocate synchronously with the working piston and governing said admission and discharge ports, said piston acting to vaporize fuel with steam and inject the vaporized fuel into the combustion chamber of the main cylinder during compression therein, a fuel chamber adjacent said admission port and in communication with said steam dome, and a pump having'a recipro eating plunger and arranged to deliver charges of fuel to said fuel chamber, and'opcrating connections intermediate said crank shaft and pump plunger for reciprocating the latter.

9. In an internal combustion engine, having a main cylinder including a combustion chamber and having means for compressing atmospheric air therein, an auxiliary cylinder having a fuel admission port and an auxiliary piston therein cooperat vely arranged to intermittently vaporize charges of liquid fuel with a gaseous fluid and discharge the vaporized mixture into said combustiongchamber at the period of compression'ofair therein, a fuel chamber in the pathof incoming gaseous'fiuid adj aoent said admission-pit, and a pump for delivering charges of fuel'tosaid fuelch'amber,

10.111 arr-internal combustion engine having a main cylinderv including a-combustion chamber, and having means for compressing atmospheric'air therein, an auxiliary cylinder having a plurality of small admission ports and provided with an auxiliary piston cooperatively arranged to intermittentlyvaporize charges of liquid fuel with a gaseous and discharge the vaporized mixture chamber. adjacent said admission port, a

steam reservoir in communication with said charge chamber at the fuel chamber, and a charges-of fuel to said 12. In an internal combustion engine having a main cylinder including a water-jacketed combustion chamber and a steam dome communicating with the water jacket passages and having means for compressing atmospheric air in said combustion chamber, an auxiliary cylinder having a fuel admission port and arranged to intermittently vaporize with steam charges of liquid fuel and discharge the same into said combustion period of compression of air therein, a fuel chamber adjacent said admission port and in communication with said steam dome, and a pump for delivering charges of fuel to said fuel chamber.

13. In an internal combustion engine having a main cylinder including a combustion chamber and having means for compressing atmospheric air therein, an auxiliary cylinder havinga fuel admission port and arranged to intermittently vaporize charges of liquid fuel with a gaseous fluid and discharge the vaporized mixture into said combustion chamber at the period of compres= sion of air therein, a fuel chamber in the path of incoming gaseous fluid adjacent said admission port, and a pump for delivering charges of fuel to said fuel chamber, said pump having a governor-controlled variable stroke.

14. An internal combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber provided with a piston arranged to compress atmospheric air in such chamber, and means for injecting vaporized charges of fuel and steam into said chamber comprising an auxiliary cylinder, a fuel supply passage communicating With said cylinder, a steam passage also communicating therewith, and a piston in said cylinder arranged to draw steam and fuel into the cylinder at an exhaust stroke, and to expel the vaporized mixture at a compression stroke into compressed air in the combustion chamber of the engine.

15. An internal combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber provided with a piston arranged to compress atmospheric air in such chamber, and means for pump for delivering fuel chamber.

in ecting vaporized charges of fuel and" steam/into said chamber comprising anaiixiliary cylinder having admission and disports, a supply passage communicatin'g with said admission port, a fuel supply passage terminating in said steam passage adjacent said admission port, and

with the main plying liquid ranged to compress an auxiliary piston in said cylinder arranged to uncover sa1d admission port at v the end of an exhaust stroke to draw steam and fuel into the cylinder at a high velocity and vaporize the same and to uncover the discharge port at the end of a compression stroke to force the resultant mixture into the compressed air in the combustion chamber.

16. In an internal combustion engine having a main cylinder and a piston therein, means for vaporizing charges of liquid fuel with a gaseous fluid and injecting the vaporized mixture into said, main. cylinder comprising an' auxiliary cylinder having an admission port and also having a dis charge port communicating with the main cylinder, perforate, an auxiliary piston in said auxil iary cylinder governing said ports and uncovering said admission port at the end of an exhaust stroke to vaporize the fuel and said discharge port at the end of a compression stroke to inject the vaporized mixture cylinder, and means for sup fuel and the gas for vaporizing the same adjacent said admission port.

17. In an explosive engine, a cylinder forming a combustion chamber, a piston aratmospheric air there- 1n, and means for vaporizing a. charge of fuel with a charge of steam and injecting the vaporized charge of mixedsteam and fuel into the compressed air in said cylinder at the end of a compression stroke of said piston.

18. In an explosive engine, a cylinder forming a combustion chamber, means for intermittently charging said cylinder with air, and an auxiliary cylinder and piston arranged .to intermittently vaporize a charge of liquid fuel with steam and inject the carbureted steam into the charge of air in the combustion chamber of the engine.

19. In an explosive engine, a. cylinder forming a combustion chamber, means for intermittently compressing a charge of air in said cylinder, an auxiliary cylinder and an auxiliary piston in said cylinder arranged to alternately vaporize a charge of liquid fuel with a gaseous fluid and then compress I the carbureted vapor to a preponderant pressure and inject it into the compressed charge of air in the combustion chamber.

WALTER J. MGVIOKER. Witnesses:

LEWIS SnvERANcE, F. S. Rose.

said cylinder being otherwise im- 

